Deciding whether to work from home or not is a difficult decision for many people. However, it is something more and more of us are faced with, as organisations are increasingly allowing staff members to work out of their homes. Not only this, but freelance jobs seem to be easier to access, as businesses have become more open to the idea of remote workers. But, is this the right type of work environment for you? Below, we take a look at the pros and the cons of working from home to help you make your decision.

The pros

Most people enjoy the freedom and the flexibility that comes with working from home. If you want to work in your pyjamas, you can. If you need to pop to the shops, you can put in the hours you have missed in the evening. Similarly, those with young children can work around the school run and other commitments they might have.

You can also save a considerable amount of money by working from home, as you won’t need to commute to and from work everyday. Less money spent on fuel for the car, train fares and parking fees is more money in the bank. However, do be aware that your bills are likely to go up, as you’ll need heating and lighting in the home all through the day. Some of this may be recoverable via your tax return, but is worth bearing in mind before you start.

Not only is working from home convenient, but a lot of people like the fact that no one will be looking over their shoulder. Sometimes the low stress environment lets people do their very best work, thanks to the peace and autonomy the home workers life can bring. If you find an open plan office noisy and distracting, you could benefit greatly from working at home at least part of the time.

The cons

A lot of people struggle to get motivated when they are working from home, particularly early in the morning. It’s all to easy to think ‘I’ll just pop the laundry on’ or ‘I’ll just do the washing up’, and before you know it, it’s already lunchtime. The homeworker needs to be strict with their routine, and to literally be ‘at work’ for the hours they have committed to.

Working from home does come with it’s own unique expenses. For example, you’ll need to set up an effective workspace, and to invest in a professional desk and chair to ensure you are sitting comfortably and ergonomically at work. Our Gresham Mesa Office Bench Desks are highly versatile and suitably compact to allow for the ideal home office environment.

Being organised and committed is one end of the spectrum, but home workers also frequently find they struggle to switch off. When work is busy, the working-from-home employee can often be found working through until the early hours, which would not happen if they were in an office environment. Keep your work and personal life well separated, and don’t be tempted to overwork just because you can.

Should you work from home?

The question of whether you should work from home or not is down to you and your opinions. Hopefully this article has given you some insight into the ups and downs of remote working, but you’ll need to make your own decision about whether it’s right for you. If you do need to set up your home office, check out our Gresham Mesa Office Bench Desks which are highly popular among many home workers and freelancers.